the Ground Dove is showing nicely at the entrance about 30. ft in front of green bouy before toll booths.
Angus Wilson, New York City & The Springs, NY http://birdingtotheend.blogspot.com On Nov 5, 2010, at 3:23 PM, Shaibal Mitra <[email protected]> wrote: > I spent a little over an hour at Captree this afternoon, during which the > Common Ground-Dove was seen just once, and for just a few minutes. > > About a dozen birders were searching for the bird, and it became quite clear > to me that their mostly uncoordinated efforts were not likely to produce > favorable outcomes. > > My conclusions are as follows: > > 1. Newly arriving searchers should discreetly approach someone already > present, exchange cell numbers, and make an effort to fit into a coordinated > strategy. If the first person you approach turns out to be a misanthrope, > find a more civic-minded birder--there will be many there tomorrow. > > 2. It is best to wait quietly and motionless, preferably in a car, while > scanning an area where the bird has been seen in the past. This bird likes to > forage in short grass, along the margins of taller, denser vegetation. All of > the margins the bird has favored are relatively narrow, so birders walking or > standing in a prime spot are not likely to see the bird in that spot. > > 3. During periods when the bird is not being seen, it is grossly > counter-productive for multiple birders to walk and drive repeatedly along > all of the preferred margins. > > 4. All of the best margins can be surveilled from as few as six fixed points, > four of which can be worked from a vehicle parked at a discreet distance from > the margins in question: > > a. a point near the northeastern corner of the east lot, giving vantages of > the north edge and the eastern foot-path toward the fishing piers. > b. a point near the northwestern corner of the east lot, giving vantages of > the north edge and the western foot-path toward the fishing piers. > c. the extreme southwestern corner of the main lot, giving vantages of the > western half of the driveway to the boat launch area. > d. a point giving vantages of the eastern half of the driveway to the boat > launch area, and some of the roadside margins east of the toll booths. > e. a point near the eastern end of the south lot, giving vantages of the > driveway to the south lot. > f. a point near the exit of the west (boat launch) lot (where it exits back > onto the Ocean Parkway), giving vantages of the roadside margins west of the > toll booths. > > 5. When news of the bird's presence is circulated, people moving over in > hopes of seeing it should take great care to avoid approaching by a track > that might disturb the bird. Pay close attention to cues from people already > on the bird, and, if in doubt, call one of them for a suggested route. > > Shai Mitra > Bay Shore > > > Think green before you print this email. > > -- > > NYSbirds-L List Info: > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES > > ARCHIVES: > 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html > 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html > 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L > > Please submit your observations to eBird: > http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ > > -- > -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
